THROUGH MY EYES: A PERSPECTIVE STORY FROM A SUMMER INTERN

Hi everyone! My name is Jay Dumont, and I’ve been the summer Marketing Intern at Medalta for just over a month now. During my work term, I’ve had the opportunity to learn new skills, gain valuable hands-on experience, and contribute my time and efforts as part of the district’s team. It’s been an exciting and rewarding experience so far, and I’m looking forward to continuing to learn, grow, and support the great work happening here @Medalta.

With that in mind, I thought there was no better way to express my gratitude than by sharing one of the best experiences I’ve had so far this summer!

 

The Experience | Clay & Creativity

On July 8, 2026, I had the opportunity to attend a special one-time session for the Indigenous elderly individuals at the Miywasin Centre in Medicine Hat. My role was to help where it was needed but mainly take pictures of the event, allowing me to document a truly meaningful experience.

I was thrilled about the opportunity, partly because I am Indigenous (Plains Cree, to be exact) but mostly because I was not raised with a strong connection with my cultural heritage. So, when I participate in such activities and am surrounded by my own community, it evokes a deep sense of appreciation, reflection, and nostalgia making me feel welcomed and comforted with “my people”.

“When I participate in such activities and am surrounded by my own community, it evokes a deep sense of appreciate, reflection, and nostalgia making me feel welcomed and comforted with my ‘my people'”.

 

Once we arrived, I helped set up the equipment and prepared the space for the small workshop. I even had the chance to work with clay to demonstrate some of the endless creative possibilities that could be brought to life for the participants showing up early.

During the session, each participant was given a small handful of clay to work with. Medalta’s International Artist in Residence Coordinator led two demonstrations, showing everyone how to create a pinch pot and a cylinder cup. I noticed that these demo’s gave participants the opportunity to learn foundational techniques and create something of their own with guidance from an experienced instructor.

While everyone followed the tutorials, I couldn’t help but spark up conversation with one of the ladies that I’ve known since I was younger about a shared cultural food amongst natives. Bannock!! I had asked her if they were allowed to make it in the kitchen at the Centre but she explained that they could only make oven-baked bannock. I couldn’t help but respond awkwardly, “I love eating it with soup!”; a simple exchange that instantly sparked laughter amongst the two of us.

As the session continued, many of the seniors became fully immersed in the creative process and began exploring the countless possibilities that clay offers. While some followed the demonstrations, many chose to create their own unique pieces, with small trinket dishes and jewelry holders becoming popular choices.

It was especially rewarding to see participants take inspiration from the small trinket bowls I had made, with several deciding to create similar pieces of their own!

One older lady looked at the small bowl and said, “That is nice, I want to make one,” and then proceeded to tell the other lady sitting beside her about the object. It was such a simple, handmade piece, but seeing her excitement reminded me that creativity doesn’t have to be complicated to be meaningful. What seemed like a small trinket bowl to me became a source of inspiration and joy for someone else, and that was incredibly rewarding to witness.

“Creativity does not have to be complicated to be meaningful.”

 

Another shared cultural topic that I enjoyed while helping the seniors with their clay creations was when I was talking with a sweet, quieter older lady about how she makes her own ribbon skirts and even so kindly shared with me the colors of the ribbon she had chosen for her skirt and what they meant to her. I was quick to tell her that I remembered when I made my first ribbon skirt, so I could relate to her on how pleasing it is to pick out the ribbon colors.

The ribbon skirts in the photo to the left were created during my fashion three class in highschool to show appreciation for the Indigenous community during a fashion show.

 

As the session slowly came to an end, everyone put the finishing touches on their creations and then we started packing them into small boxes to be carefully transported from Miywasin back to Medalta to be fired.

It was very heartwarming to see everyone pitch in to help clean up the room. The kindness, enthusiasm, and participation made the experience an unforgettable one. I would gladly do it again in a heartbeat and I greatly appreciate that I got to be a part of something so awesome!

ABOUT THE WORKSHOP

The workshop was specifically held at the Miywasin Center to complement their senior programming. It served as a pilot project to assess community interest and identify opportunities for potential longer-term programming. Building on its success, Medalta hopes to expand the initiative into a four-week workshop series specifically designed for the Indigenous community.

This initiative is part of Medalta’s International Artist in Residence’s ongoing commitment to making ceramic arts more accessible and inclusive, strengthening connections with the broader Medicine Hat community, and ensuring that residency programming extends beyond visiting artists and to engage local participants of all backgrounds.

ABOUT THE WRITER

Hi, I’m Jay Dumont! I’m currently studying for my Bachelor of Applied Arts in the Art & Design program at Medicine Hat College, and this summer I’m completing my first practicum here at Medalta.

It’s kind of surreal to be here. Like so many people in Medicine Hat, I remember visiting Medalta on an elementary school field trip. Now, 13 years later, I’m working in the very same place.

Right now, I’m focused on learning new skills and taking on as many different experiences as I can. I enjoy being able to do a bit of everything (or at least the idea of doing everything!) and helping wherever I’m needed. I take pride in taking initiative and being someone people can rely on. One of my greatest strengths is putting my time and energy into something to make sure it’s done properly.

Working at Medalta has only strengthened those values. I really enjoy being part of such a welcoming community, and it’s been an incredible place to learn new skills and grow professionally. Since this is my first job, it’s been a great experience, and I think it’s going pretty well so far! I’m so grateful for the opportunity to learn from the people here and to be part of preserving such an important piece of Medicine Hat’s history.